Plastic shopping bags are one of those things that haven’t been improved on since… ever? Sure there have been attempts to improve their biodegradability, but that’s hardly the limit to their inherent weaknesses.

This is especially well-known in Japan where premade soups and bentos fly off the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores like premade hotcakes. Using a traditional plastic bag to carry a curry rice bento always gets tilted onto its side so that it ends up looking like a crime scene when you get it home. You’re luck if the curry actually stays inside the container.

Lunch Vehicle may be the answer to this problem, taking plastic bags to the next level with its innovative design which has been influenced by tried and tested heavy industry techniques.

I’m sure all of you ladies out there have at one point or another been through the experience of being tortured by a pair of high-heels that pinch and scrape and leave you with blisters but look absolutely gorgeous. Ah, the sacrifices we make for fashion!

Well, one of our Japanese reporters from Pouch went to KiBera in Shinjuku for a pair of affordable, custom-made shoes that both look great and feel comfortable, a combination that can be hard to find in stylish shoes.

While cats and dogs remain the undisputed kings of the pet world, turtles and tortoises refuse to be outdone, and are steadily climbing the ranks.

With their cute little eyes and the way they stand proudly in the sunshine like those majestic statues often found outside shrines, there’s no denying that tortoises and turtles have a magical charm all of their own.

And this little fella, it would seem, has been especially blessed… Read More

In Japan, goukon, are mixers meant to set the stage for finding a mate. They are designed to help young adults find at least a relationship, if not a suitable marriage partner, and are often organized by businesses like in the ad above.

The average goukon brings together around three to five people of each gender and takes place at a restaurant or izakaya (Japanese-style bar). Groups are seated randomly, usually with seats alternating by gender so everyone can get to know each other better.

Business organizational skills aside, most women know that the chance of a relationship forming from a goukon depends on the efforts of the participants. A certain protocol must be followed if a man wants a woman to give him the time of day. If he is too out-of-place, then it could cause embarrassment all around.

Japanese website Otome Sugoren surveyed their female readers to find out what kind of guy they think shouldn’t even bother showing up to the goukon party. Men: be sure to pay attention so you know what not to do at your next goukon. After all, while you may be there to play the field, women are serious about finding someone! Read More

October marks the beginning of the 2012 Fall kūru, or TV programming season, in Japan. In Japan, TV scheduling is divided into four three-month blocks called kūru rather than the yearly seasons of American television.

But like America’s seasons, the beginning is a chance for new shows to make it or break it with the viewers. In the case of anime, an online survey was held to ask “What new show are you most excited about this kūru?”